


France Before Pants

by khaleesiq



Category: Little Mix (Band), Monte Carlo (2011), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-20
Updated: 2013-04-20
Packaged: 2017-12-08 23:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khaleesiq/pseuds/khaleesiq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Liam, Harry, and Perrie go to France they find themselves caught in a case of mistaken identity where everyone is convinced that Liam is an American popstar. Based on the movie Monte Carlo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	France Before Pants

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on the movie Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez. It's not 100% accurate, but I did keep it as close to the story as possible. Also, I swear I'm not making fun of Justin Bieber, so keep that in mind while you're reading.

“Hi, my name’s Liam and I’ll be your waiter. What would you like to drink?”

The customers give Liam their drink orders and he leaves to go get them. He passes Perrie at the bakery counter where she’s talking to her boyfriend Zayn.

“Have you gotten any more money for your trip?” Perrie asks Liam.

Liam glances at the jar on the counter that reads “Liam’s Paris Fund”. He’s been saving up for months and his mom has helped pay for the tickets and the hotel, but he still needs some more money to book a tour and to spend. There seems to be more in it than when he checked a couple hours ago, but he still doesn’t think it’s enough. He shrugs in response to Perrie.

“Here,” Zayn says, reaching into his wallet and placing some bills in the jar.

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that,” Liam says.

“Yes he does,” Perrie says, smiling gratefully at Zayn for Liam. “Because if you don’t get to go to Paris then neither do I.”

Liam chuckles and says, “Thanks, Zayn, for helping _Perrie_ get to Paris.”

A big group of teenagers choose that moment to walk into the café. Liam looks over and groans when he sees that it’s Danielle and her friends.

“You want me to take care of them?” Perrie asks.

Liam shakes his head because he can’t avoid Danielle forever. “I’ve got it. Thanks anyways, Pez.”

He gets the drinks for the other table and takes their food orders and delivers them to the kitchen before heading over to Danielle’s table. She has her arm around her girlfriend Eleanor’s shoulder and they’re all talking animatedly to one another.

“I’m Liam and—“

“Oh, Liam,” Danielle says, taking her eyes off of Eleanor, “when did you start working here?”

“I’ve been working here for two years,” he answers in the most polite voice he can muster. “Now, what would you like to drink?”

He takes their drink orders and goes to the kitchen to pour them. Perrie comes up behind him and asks, “How bad was it?”

“It wasn’t bad,” Liam replies honestly. “It was just…awkward.”

“I see,” Perrie says. “I also see she’s brought _Eleanor_.”

“You say her name like it’s the worst thing in the world,” Liam says.

“You should think she’s the worst thing in the world! Danielle dumped you for her, so why don’t you hate her?”

“That’s not what happened and you know it. The break up was just a huge misunderstanding and it doesn’t even bother me anymore.”

Perrie shakes her head and leaves the kitchen with her order. Perrie knows exactly what happened but she still refuses to believe that Danielle is completely innocent.

Danielle had first asked Liam out a little over a year ago. He had been thrilled because he had been crushing on her for years. Unfortunately, he hadn’t realized that he was supposed to be her beard. Then again, Danielle hadn’t really explained that to him, so they were both at fault. They ended it a few months later when he tried to kiss her and she told him she was gay and he got upset at her for leading him on. She came out two weeks later and started dating Eleanor a week after that.

So yeah, it was all just a huge misunderstanding and Liam isn’t upset about it. But Perrie still keeps insisting that he should be and it makes it much harder not to be.

Liam sighs and reminds himself that in a few days he’ll be graduating and in a week he’ll be in Paris. Hopefully.

*

Danielle is the valedictorian _and_ the class president so she’s the one to make the speech at graduation. She’s not a horrible person or anything and Liam really _really_ isn’t mad at her, but he still finds himself wishing it was someone else representing their class.

She has just started her speech when there’s the sound of a door opening and banging shut echoing through the gym. Everyone turns their heads to the source of the sound and Liam feels like disappearing into the floor when he sees it’s his step brother, Harry.

Harry stares at everyone with wide eyes and spins around to try and sneak back out the way he came. The door doesn’t budge. He turns and mutters, “Sorry,” and hurries across the gym to sit with his dad and Liam’s mom.

Danielle continues her speech and the rest of the ceremony goes on without any other interruptions. Afterwards, Liam is met outside with a bright flash and Perrie attacking him and pulling him into a hug.

“I’m so proud of you Li!” she shouts and smacks a kiss on his cheek. Liam rolls his eyes and they walk over to Liam’s family together. Liam’s mom hugs him and his stepdad pats him on the back.

“Congratulations Liam,” is all Harry says.

“Thanks for coming, Harry,” Liam says, although he’s sure his dad had forced him to come.

“Yeah, it’s nice to see you again, Harry,” Perrie deadpans.

“It’s _always_ a pleasure to see you,” Harry says, just as unemotionally. “But maybe you should wear more clothes next time, there are children here.”

Perrie sticks her tongue out at him and is about to retort when Liam’s mom is pushing them all together to pose for a picture. Perrie wraps her arm around Liam’s shoulder and presses close to his side while Harry doesn’t touch Liam at all. _This is going to be a long night_ , Liam thinks as the flash goes off.

*

That night while they’re eating cake Liam’s stepdad gives him his graduation present. It’s the nicest suitcase Liam has ever seen and his stepdad says, “It’ll take you all the way to Paris and to uni in the fall,” as he presents it to Liam.

“It’s a Hartman,” Harry tells Liam as if it’s the greatest thing in the world, but Liam honestly has no idea what that means.

“It’s nice,” Liam says to his stepdad, “thank you so much.”

“ _It’s a Hartman_ ,” Perrie mocks in a low voice and Harry glares at her.

“And we have an announcement to make,” Liam’s mom says excitedly. “You two are leaving for Paris in a couple of days—“

Perrie lets out an excited squeal and Harry rolls his eyes at her.

“—and we’ve decided to make a few changes,” she finishes.

Liam drops his fork. “What kind of changes?”

“Well, Harry is going to be here all summer and we thought it would be more fun if he joined you.”

Perrie and Harry drop their forks and the two of them, along with Liam, shout, “ _What?”_

Liam’s mom and stepdad smile at them like this is great news but Liam doesn’t think that the news could be any worse.

*

Later that night, everyone complains about the change of plans.

Harry complains to his dad while they’re in the kitchen washing dishes.

“Who said I even wanted to go?” Harry exclaims.

“You did!” his dad replies. “You kept saying how great it would be to return to Paris when I told you that Liam was going there for his graduation trip. So I thought you would like this.”

“Oh yeah, because there’s nothing I’d rather do than go to France with _Perrie Edwards_. Why is she even going anyway? She’d be just as happy going to Six Flags…on beer night.”

“C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

“Look, I’m not Liam’s babysitter and I’m not his brother no matter what you guys do, okay?” He sighs. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Because I don’t know how to make this any better.”

“Whatever.” Harry goes back to cleaning dishes and doesn’t notice his dad crossing the kitchen to stand next to him until he starts speaking.

“You’ve only got one year of college left and you’ve stayed in every night ever since the funeral.” Harry looks down and avoids his dad’s gaze. “You should be going out, living your life. It’s what Mum would’ve wanted.”

Harry can’t believe he used his mother’s death to try and guilt trip him, but he hates himself even more because it’s working.

“You know,” his dad adds, “she always said that Paris was her favorite place to visit.”

“Fine,” Harry mutters and returns to dish washing.

*

Perrie complains to Zayn on their way to the bar.

“But at least it’s still _Paris_ ,” she says as they arrive. “I mean they have everything. The clothes and the shoes—“

“Don’t go,” Zayn says suddenly.

“What?” Then she smiles when she realizes that he’s just afraid of being alone while she’s gone. “It’s only a week, Zayn.”

“Just say here.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“Then marry me.”

Perrie stares at him and then her face lights up. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Zayn says, smiling. “We’ve been getting pretty serious and I’ve been thinking about it for some time.”

“Where’s the ring?”

“The ring?”

Then it dawns on Perrie why he’s asking her and the real reason why he was so upset about her going to Paris. “Let me ask you something: would you still be asking me to marry you if I wasn’t leaving for the City of Love tomorrow?”

“Don’t you mean the City of Lights?” Zayn says bitterly.

Perrie feels like crying because Zayn is jealous of this once in a lifetime opportunity she’s getting so he’s trying to keep her here. “Something big is finally happening to me, and you’re choosing the night before I leave to ask?”

“Perrie,” he says avoiding her gaze, “I’ve got everything I need right here with me. How about you?”

Now he’s trying to play it off like he doesn’t even need her but she can tell by the way he says it that he really does. And she does want to stay and be with him but…

“I’ve never once been outside of this place,” she says. “Not once.”

“Fine,” Zayn says angrily. “Then go.” He reaches over her and opens her door. “I hope you have a really nice trip.”

Perrie looks at him but he won’t look back. She gets out of the car and tries not to cry as she watches him drive off.

*

Liam complains to his mom while they’re packing.

“Why are you making him come with us?” he asks her. “Do you not trust me and Perrie alone together?”

“No, I don’t,” she says. “I understand that she’s your friend but I think you need a responsible adult there.”

“Harry is whatever comes after adult,” Liam mutters.

“Be generous,” she tells him.

“You’ve seen me.” He sighs. “Mum, I’ve been saving for _years_ and it’s the only thing that’s gotten me through the last four years of school. Imagining myself walking along the Seine and standing on top of the Eiffel Tower and…having it all just make me different.”

“Li, it’s not magic, it’s not going to turn you into a whole new person.” She wraps him up into a hug. “And thank goodness, you’re perfect just the way you are.”

“You’ve found a whole new life when you got remarried, and I’m happy for you, just…let me go find mine. _Without_ Harry.”

“No one wants you to find your own life more than I do.” She kisses the top of his head. “I have to go to work now.”

“ _Mom_ ,” he whines, because his complaining hasn’t done anything to change her mind yet.

“Go to Paris or don’t go, it’s your choice,” is the only thing she says to him.

*

Despite Liam’s protests, Harry ends up joining them. The trip there isn’t so bad, but Harry immediately starts complaining when he looks at the tour’s itinerary.

“ _Twenty minutes_?” he says incredulously. “They’re only giving us twenty minutes to tour the Louvre? You can’t see the Louvre in just twenty minutes!”

Perrie rolls her eyes and whispers to Liam, “This is going to be a _long_ day.”

Perrie turns out to be right; it’s the longest day of Liam’s life. They spend only twenty minutes at each location and those minutes are spent rushing after the tour guide instead of actually enjoying all the sights that Paris has to offer.

“And this is Sacré Cœur,” the guide says and then hurries up the steps, not giving them any time to enjoy the scenery. The rest of the tour trails after her but Liam, Perrie, and Harry take this time to stop and look at the view below.

Liam gasps because it’s the most breathtaking thing he’s ever seen and he pities everyone who never gets a chance to see this. “I must be dreaming,” he sighs dreamily. “Nobody pinch me.”

He hears the tour guide calling for them to keep up. The three of them groan and reluctantly tear their eyes away from the sight to follow her.

“Ugh, my feet are _killing_ me,” Perrie complains from behind him.

Harry glances at her shoes and replies, “Well maybe if you weren’t wearing four-inch heels you’d be a little more comfortable.”

Perrie flashes him a smile and retorts, “If they’re not hurting, then they’re not helping.”

However, five steps up she stops and starts taking her shoes off, putting her hand on some blonde guy’s shoulder for support. When she’s done she sighs in relief and says, “Much better!” She turns to the guy and adds, “Thank you very much.”

“No problem,” he says.

“Oh,” Harry says in surprise, “Irish.”

The blonde guy grins at him but Harry just rolls his eyes and ignores him. On the way up, though, he trips and grabs the guy’s shirt so he doesn’t fall. The guy grasps Harry’s arm and helps him stand upright again. “Whoa there!” he says. “Mind your step.”

Harry can’t help but smile at him before he continues on his way.

The rest of the tour is spent just like the way it began. Even their dinner is rushed and they don’t even have enough time to take one bite of a dish before it’s being whisked away and replaced by another plate of food. By nighttime they’re exhausted and they can’t wait to get to their hotel. But that turns out to be a disappointment as well.

“Okay this looks nothing like it did in the brochure,” Perrie says as they step into the dreary room.

“The room doesn’t matter,” Liam says in an attempt to try and cheer them up. “I mean, we’ll hardly ever be here. And if it helps, I’ll take the cot.”

Harry looks around the room and opens a door to possibly the most disgusting bathroom in the world. “Oh look, I found the spa facilities,” he says sarcastically.

“Great,” Perrie says, “now find an outlet because my phone is dying and I don’t want to miss when Zayn calls to apologize. And when he does,” she moves a table aside to get to the only outlet in the room, “I want you guys to pretend like you’re having a really good time, okay?”

“We _are_ having a really good time,” Liam protests.

“No one’s having a good time,” Harry tells him.

“How can you complain?” Liam snaps. “I get it, it’s your ‘thing’, but c’mon, we’re in Paris!” He opens the window, hoping to reveal an amazing view but it only reveals a view to the room across the street, where a large man is lying naked in a bathtub. Liam’s eyes widen and he quickly closes it.

“Got it!” Perrie singsongs. As she plugs in her charger sparks fly everywhere, the lights flicker a few times before going out completely, and they hear an explosion outside as the hotel’s sign’s lights go out.

“Of fucking course,” Harry mutters in the darkness.

Liam groans. “The perfect end to a perfect day.”

*

The next day starts off much better. They go to the Eiffel Tower and it’s even more incredible than Liam expected.

”Wow,” Perrie gasps, and then adds with a shaky voice, “we’re up really high.”

“You okay?” Liam asks, concerned.

“Yeah,” Perrie says unconvincingly.

Harry comes back from the gift shop and Liam asks, “Does anyone have any change?” There’s a telescope that he’s dying to look through and see all of Paris.

“Harry’s got some,” Perrie says.

Harry rolls his eyes but takes out some change from his wallet and hands it to Liam anyway.

“Who’s that?” Perrie asks him.

Harry furrows his brow. “Who’s who?”

“That guy checking you out.” Perrie leans over the rail to get a better look. “Right there.”

Harry peers over the rail to see the same blonde guy that he had fallen on the day before standing on the lower balcony. He smiles and waves and Harry smiles back before looking away again briefly.

Wow!” Liam exclaims. “You can see everything from up here!” He begins to list off a number of well-known Parisian locations while Harry looks back to see the blonde guy again. However, he’s not there anymore. Harry leans further over the rail to see if he’s nearby but he’s nowhere to be found.

“There’s our bus,” Perrie points out to Liam.

“Oh yeah!” Liam says excitedly.

“Hello again.”

Harry jumps at the voice behind him. He turns around to see the blonde guy smiling at him.

“Hi,” Harry says, and then feels like kicking himself because, seriously, that’s the only thing he can come up with?

“Look, there’s our tour guide,” Liam says, but Harry isn’t paying any attention to him anymore. Not when possibly the cutest guy in the world is standing right in front of him.

“I saw you at Sacré Cœur yesterday, right?” the blonde guy says.

Harry nods.

“Wait a second,” Perrie says, “are they…?”

“They’re leaving!” Liam cries.

“My name’s Niall,” the blonde guy says. “What’s yours?”

Harry opens his mouth to tell him but then Liam grabs his arm and shouts, “Harry! The bus is leaving!” He pulls Harry to the stairs before he even has a chance to say goodbye to Niall. They rush down the stairs and pass the elevator.

“Wait,” Perrie yells, “the elevator’s right here!”

“We don’t have time!” Liam explains as they hurry down the stairs. Liam and Harry run as fast as they can but Perrie slows down to take her heels off and make sure she doesn’t fall off the tower and die.

“Perrie, c’mon!” Liam yells as she takes cautious steps. She speeds up and soon enough they’re all at the bottom of the tower and they sprint to the bus, calling out, “Wait!” and “Stop the bus!” But it’s too late; the bus pulls away as soon as they get there. They all groan and Liam falls to the curb, putting his face in his hands.

“This tour,” Harry says, “is shit.”

“Okay, Harry,” Liam says, exasperated, and stands up, “it’s a disaster, are you happy?”

“Hey,” Perrie says, trying to calm him down, “it’s okay.”

“No it’s not,” Harry grumbles.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” she says to him.

“I’m just being honest,” Harry shoots back.

“He’s right,” Liam says, “I single-handedly chose the worst tour in all of Paris! And I’m sorry, okay? Perrie, I’m sorry that you wasted your savings—“

“No,” Perrie says kindly, “you got us here.”

He ignores her and turns to Harry. “I’m even sorry that you got dragged into this. And that I’ll have to hear about it for every fucking Thanksgiving and Christmas for the next however many years!”

“Liam,” Harry says, but Liam goes on.

“But most of all, I’m sorry that I even thought I was the kind of person that could come to Paris!” Perrie and Harry stare at him and wait for him to continue but he doesn’t. He ends with, “I’m sorry! Can we just leave it at that?” He walks away and the other two have no choice but to follow him.

*

As they walk to their hotel it starts to rain. It’s a light drizzle at first but by the time it’s dark it’s pouring. At one point as they’re running through the streets they take cover on the porch of a fancy hotel.

“How far is our hotel?” Harry asks breathlessly.

Liam ignores him and starts for the doors.

“Where are you going?” Perrie asks.

“Inside,” Liam yells angrily. As he goes in a small group of people with cameras come up and start taking pictures and yelling. Perrie and Harry give them a curious look while they follow Liam inside the building. Perrie takes a few seconds to admire the inside before taking off after Liam to the restroom.

“Wait,” Harry says outside of the restroom, “you can’t come in here with us.”

Perrie rolls her eyes and goes in anyway. “I’m his best friend; the men’s bathroom isn’t going to stop me.”

Harry raises his eyebrows at her and heads inside. Liam is standing at the sink and crying and they comfort him. He shoves them off, yells, “Just fuck off!” and goes into a stall.

Perrie and Harry sigh and wait for him. They know Liam is distraught because he never says the f-word unless he’s really upset. They decide to just leave him be until he feels better.

Harry gets to fixing his wet hair while Perrie picks up a towel and rubs it against her face. Harry gives her a questioning look and she explains in wonder, “Harry, these are cloth.”

Harry rolls his eyes and focuses back on his hair while Perrie does the same. The door opens and a boy talking on his phone walks in. He stands in between Perrie and Harry and they suddenly stop and stare at the boy wide-eyed.

He looks exactly like Liam.

“Yes,” he’s saying into the phone, “I’m still in fucking Paris, my mom is forcing me to go to some stupid fucking charity thing to ‘repair my rep’ or whatever.”

Perrie and Harry raise their eyebrows at each other before going back to watching the boy in astonishment.

“I don’t know what the fuck it’s for,” he says after a pause, “polar bears or hungry children or some shit like that.” He rambles on and Perrie and Harry go from staring at each other and then back at him. He trails off suddenly and notices them staring. They look away quickly and he finishes with, “Let me call you back when I get to the airport. It might take awhile, it appears to be raining,” he looks over Perrie, “pretty fucking hard.”

“Pez,” Liam calls from the stall, “can you get me a towel?”

The Liam-look-alike hangs up and exits the bathroom after giving Perrie and Harry a strange look. Liam opens the stall and joins them at the sink.

“Thanks for nothing,” he grumbles as he picks up a towel and dries himself off. Perrie and Harry stare at him open-mouthed in the mirror but he doesn’t notice. “Who was that headcase? Who does he think he is?” Then he notices their expressions. “What?”

Perrie grabs his chin and moves it side to side. “Doesn’t he look just like him?” She asks Harry.

“Like who?”

“Oh my god,” Harry gasps, “this is amazing.”

“What’s amazing?”

“The guy who just came in,” Perrie explains, “he looks exactly like you!”

“What? I look nothing like him!” Liam protests.

“You didn’t even see him,” Harry says.

“Well, I heard him,” Liam says.

“But seriously,” Perrie says, “you guys are like twins!” She sighs. “If only you were American.”

Liam tries out his American accent as the leave the bathroom. “Poor me, my mom is making me go out and fucking help people. It fucking sucks!”

“How are you doing that?” Harry says in amazement. “It’s kind of creepy.”

“I like it!” Perrie says. “Do more.”

Liam smiles and continues to mock the boy in the bathroom. “I fucking hate it here and I just want to sit at home and watch T.V. _all day_ and—“

One of the hotel employees who they assume is the manager comes up to him suddenly and says, “Oh, Monsieur Burberry, good news! We’ve figured everything out and—“

“Oh no,” Liam says before it goes too far, “I’m not…”

“There’s been a mistake,” Harry says at the same time.

“Yes, we know,” the manager says apologetically, “and we are so, so sorry. Don’t worry, your package will be here in the morning and we’ve found, as you requested,” he claps his hands and two men roll out a large silver platter with a giant lobster on it, “a 26-pound lobster.”

The three of them gape at the lobster and then back at the employee. Liam finally says in his American accent, “I’ll take it in my room.”

They get to the room and it’s just wonderful. It’s big and grand and _nothing_ like their other hotel room. Liam and Perrie flop onto the bed right away and it’s so soft and comfortable that Liam doesn’t want to sleep anywhere else for the rest of his life.

“Can you imagine having a room like this and not even staying in it?” Perrie sighs in contentment.

“Yeah,” Harry says sharply, “because we’re not staying in it.”

Perrie give him a look, stands up, and pulls back the covers. “Harry,” she says, “you watching?” She settles underneath the covers and Harry groans.

“Great,” he says, “now we have to make the bed.”

“Harry,” Liam says softly, “can you relax? We’re just resting.” He settles under the covers as well while Perrie pulls something out from underneath her.

“Ooh,” she says enthusiastically, “chocolates!” She throws one at Harry and then eats one herself before stretching and making herself comfortable.

“C’mon Harry,” Liam says, patting the spot next to him, “it’s been a really long day.” He adds in a joking voice, “Let’s bond.”

Harry smiles and reluctantly crawls into the spot in between them.

“Fine,” he says, “but just until it stops raining.”

*

They’re woken up the next morning to the phone ringing. Liam reaches over and answers it. “Hello,” he mumbles before sitting straight up when he hears the voice on the other end and remembers what had happened the night before. His French is a little rusty and he’s tired so he just repeats “oui” over and over again while Perrie and Harry wake up. He hangs up with one final “oui”.

“Oh fuck,” Harry says as he wakes up. “Who fell asleep?” Then he sees Liam putting down the phone and asks, “What did they say?”

“I’m not a hundred percent sure,” Liam responds, “but I think our car is here.”

“Oh shit,” Perrie and Harry say together.

They hurry out of bed and rush to the elevator. They run out of it and try to get out of the lobby as fast as they can without anyone seeing them but it doesn’t work. A man with a cart carrying about seven suitcases trails after them while the manager yells, “Monsieur Burberry! Your package has arrived this morning!”

He catches up to them and they stop. Liam looks at the package not knowing what to do and Perrie says, “Take it. Just take it.” Liam grabs it with a quick “merci” and they exit the hotel. The manager follows them and says, “Let me help you to your car!”

“No we’re fine!” Liam calls, but as soon as they’re outside they’re swamped by paparazzi and they’re being ushered to a black car. The manager opens it and Liam says to him in the best American accent he can come up with at the moment, “No thank you, we’ll walk.”

The manager laughs. “But you cannot walk to the airport.” 

“Airport?!” Harry cries.

The manager nods and before they know what’s happening Perrie’s saying, “Airport, thank you,” and stepping inside the car. Liam and Harry follow her lead because they have no other choice. Once they start driving off Perrie opens the package.

“What are you doing?” Liam and Harry shout at once.

“I want to know where we’re going!” Perrie says.

“We’re going back to our shitty tour,” Harry says.

“Nope,” Perrie says, pulling out the package’s contents, “we are going to Monte Carlo! Wherever that is.”

Harry shakes his head. “No, we are not!”

“Let me see,” Liam says, taking the paper from Perrie.

“See, Liam wants to go,” Perrie says to Harry.

“Forget it,” Harry says.

“The trip is paid for,” Liam says, “whether he takes it or not.”

“It’s stealing!” Harry argues.

“It’s seizing the moment,” Liam counters.

“But we’ll get caught,” Harry says.

“And then,” Liam says smiling, “you’ll get to say ‘I told you so’.”

“Like you can pass that up,” Perrie mutters under her breath and Harry groans because she’s right.

They arrive at the airport where a private jet is waiting for them. Perrie squeals in excitement as the driver opens the door for them and they go into the plane. After they’ve taken off and they’re settled into their seats an attendant comes around and offers them warm nuts.

“I’m never flying commercial again,” Perrie says as she takes some.

The attendant offers them to Harry and he stares at them. “I shouldn’t,” he says to the attendant and he leaves.

“Oh!” Perrie exclaims, reaching under her seat. She holds up a Hello! magazine that says “Justin Burberry” in big letters. “Hello! Let’s read all about you.”

“Wait a minute,” Liam says, examining the picture on the cover, “ _that’s_ him? I look nothing like him!”

“Shut up,” Harry says leaning across his seat to read with Perrie.

Perrie reads, “’American popstar, Justin Burberry—‘“ She stops and gives Liam a look. “You’re a popstar!”

Liam rolls his eyes and Perrie continues.

“’—was caught by paparazzi in Australia when he—‘“ She stops again and stares at the page.

“Let me see,” Harry says, leaning farther over to see. His mouth drops open and he raises his eyebrows at Liam.

“Oh, a scandal!” Perrie says happily.

“What?” Liam laughs.

“Oh, Justin, you are a bad, bad boy!” she says as Harry takes the magazine from her.

“What did I do?” Liam says curiously.

Harry scans the page before looking back at Liam. “What _didn’t_ you do?”

*

Louis pulls up in front of the Hotel de Paris in his shiny blue Corvette. His father is waiting for him when he gets there and he looks incredibly unhappy. Louis gets out of the car and hands his keys to a valet.

“You’re late,” his father says.

“I still made it before that twat did,” Louis says as he hugs him. A black car pulls up and Louis gestures to it, saying, “And look, here it is now.”

Liam steps out of the car and looks at the two men standing before him. The younger of the two lowers his glasses slowly and gives Liam a strange look. The older one exclaims, “Mr. Burberry! You made it! On behalf of the Tomlinson Family Foundation, and the Save the Children, it is my pleasure to introduce you to this fine city of Monte Carlo. I am Mark Tomlinson and this is my son, Louis.”

“Justin,” Louis greets coldly.

Mr. Tomlinson gives Louis a disapproving look before turning back to Liam. “And I see you’ve brought some friends!”

Liam clears his throat and says in his American accent, “Oh, right, this is Perrie Edwards and Harry Styles, some friends I picked up while I was in the U.K.”

“Bonjour, how do you do,” Perrie says, shaking Mr. Tomlinson’s hand.

Harry greets them in fluent French and Mr. Tomlinson smiles. Perrie and Liam raise their eyebrows at each other and Perrie whispers, “Since when does he speak French?”

Liam shrugs and follows Mr. Tomlinson and Louis up the steps to the door.

“Don’t worry,” Louis says, “all the preparations have already been made for the party.”

“The party?” Liam asks him confused.

“Yeah, the one being thrown for you?” Louis tells him as if he should already know.

“Oh, right, _that_ party,” Liam says. “Everything’s ready then? Good, it…it better be.”

“Yes,” Louis says, still staring at Liam strangely. “Well, why don’t we get you settled then.”

They go up to the room which is ten times grander than the one back in Paris and they wait for a long time while Justin’s luggage is being brought. When that’s done Harry shuts the door and declares, “We have to get out of here.”

“Why?” Perrie asks. “This is all paid for! You never leave when it’s all paid for. What are they teaching you at college?”

“Perrie, he’s right,” Liam says. “This is too crazy.”

“You guys,” Perrie says, “you don’t take somebody’s private jet to Monte Carlo—“

“But you made us!” Harry cuts in.

“—and then find out they’re throwing a party _just for you_ and then say, ‘oh no, I couldn’t possibly!’ No, you go.” Perrie leaves the main room to go explore the rest of the suite.

“Perrie,” Liam calls after her, “we are way out of our league. They’re going to see right through me!”

“Liam,” she says coming back into the main room, “you’ll be fine. Just keep up the accent, act like a complete arsehole…I’m sure Harry could help you out with that.”

“No,” Harry says, “you know what? I’m out. Okay? This was never part of the plan, I’m _out._ ”

“You know what the problem with you two is?” Perrie says. “It’s that you two are _exactly_ alike.”

“We are nothing alike,” they both say at the same time.

Perrie smiles. “Okay, you two want a plan? Here’s the plan: we go to that party, the real Justin gets to play hooky for a few days, Tomlinson gets his charity boy, and we all get the vacation that _I_ deserve.” She falls on the couch and sighs. “Now, how’s that for a plan?”

*

They arrive at the party dressed in all the nicest clothes they found in Justin’s suitcases. Except for Perrie, who had Liam call down to the front desk and ask them to buy her some party dresses from the nicest boutique in the city. Liam looks down at the sliver Rolex watch that Perrie had _insisted_ he wear. Even Harry agreed that it would tie the outfit together.

 Louis does a double take when he sees them but then he goes back to looking annoyed when he tells them, “You’re late.”

“So mean,” Liam mumbles under his breath.

“But so fucking _delicious_ ,” Perrie whispers back to him and Liam blushes because she clearly noticed him checking Louis out earlier.

“Hey,” Harry says to Perrie, “how is _Zayn_?”

Perrie sticks her tongue out and pushes him as they step further into the room.

*

Zayn gives up about three days into Perrie’s trip and calls her. However, it’s not Perrie who picks up, but a French man with a gruff voice.

“Salut?” he says.

“Er, who’s this?” Zayn asks confused.

“Who is this?” he asks back.

“It’s, erm, it’s Zayn.” He hears a girl giggling in the background. “Is that Perrie? Is Perrie there?”

“She is,” the man says.

“She is? She is what?” Zayn asks and he seriously hopes that it’s not actually Perrie there and this is all just a huge misunderstanding.

“She is not available to you,” the man says and then he hangs up.

Zayn stares at the phone for a few seconds. “What the fuck? Not ‘available to me’? Yeah, well we’ll see about that.”

*

Liam, Harry, and Perrie have to pose for about a million pictures before they’re allowed to go and enjoy the party. Harry and Perrie go off and leave Liam alone with Louis. As they walk around, Liam notices that people are looking at him, but not in the way people would normally look at a teen popstar.

“Why do people keep staring at me?” he asks Louis.

“It’s the watch,” Louis tells him. “It’s for Friday’s auction.”

“Oh, the auction…on Friday…because I’ll be here… all week…” Liam says and Louis arches an eyebrow.

“With the money we raise we’re hoping to build at least twenty schools in Romania,” Louis says.

“That’s amazing,” Liam says, “we’re really making a difference in the world. It almost makes dressing up and going to events like this worth it.”

“People may be looking at the watch,” Louis says, “but I personally am admiring the shoes.”

Liam looks down at his Converse and realizes that he had forgotten to change into more formal shoes. He blushes but Louis says, “It’s fine, I didn’t bother changing shoes either.” He sticks his foot out for Liam to see and Liam feels a little better looking at Louis’ Toms.

“Lou!”

Louis takes his attention away from Liam to see who was calling for him. “Ed!” he says, pulling a guy with bright orange hair into a hug. When they pull apart he gestures to Liam. “Ed, this is Justin.”

“Oh, um, hey man,” Liam says just as Perrie and Harry come up behind him.

Ed ignores Liam and instead focuses his attention on Perrie. “Hello,” he says to her charmingly.

“Oh,” she says, distracted, “hey.”

“Where have you been, Justin?” Harry hisses. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“Sorry,” Liam says apologetically, “I’ve been a little preoccupied.” He tilts his head toward Louis.

“Would you like to dance?” Ed asks Perrie.

“Oh,” she says eagerly, taking Ed’s hand, “enchantée.” Ed leads her away and a man with black hair walks in and waves to them. Louis waves back and Liam and Harry stare at the man in confusion.

“My father is very grateful to your uncle,” Louis says to Liam. “He and your mother are great benefactors to our charity.”

Louis goes to talk to Simon and Liam turns to Harry and says, “My uncle?”

“Simon Cowell was married to your late aunt Amelia,” Harry tells him as Simon makes his way over to them.

“How do you know that?” Liam asks.

“Hello, it’s called Hello! magazine for a reason.” Harry continues to explain, “She died two years ago on a safari.”

“Wait, who did?”

Harry groans in frustration. “Okay, here’s what you need to know: your parents divorced when you were nine, and then your mum remarried this rich guy who paid your way to fame. You’re the biggest star in America but you were caught doing various types of drugs and now your uncle, who’s also your manager, is trying to repair your reputation by involving you in some charity events.”

Liam raises his eyebrows. “You know all of that from one article?”

“I may have done some research on the internet before we left.”

“Justin!” Simon exclaims.

“Uncle Simon!” Liam says back and suddenly he’s being pulled into what is possibly the most awkward hug in the entire world.

“It’s so great to see you here,” Simon says.

“Where else would I be?” Liam says.

“Well,” Simon laughs, “to be honest I thought that you would throw a fit and refuse to show up.”

“Yeah, well I’m here,” Liam says and tries to walk away but Simon puts a hand on his arm.

“Yes,” Simon says curiously, “and there’s something different about you but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” He watches Liam for a few seconds and Liam is worried that Simon is going to see right through him. But then Harry nudges him and he reverts back to being Justin.

“I guess I’ve turned over a new leaf, or whatever,” he says shrugging. “Anyway you can tweet that I’m actually a nice guy while I,” he grabs Louis’ arm, “go dancing.”

He pulls Louis to the dance floor and Simon watches him go. Simon sighs. “I’m so worried about him.”

They walk away and Harry smiles to himself because he can’t believe they actually pulled it off.

*

“This is so nice,” Liam sighs as he stretches out on the lounge chair. They had decided to spend the day at the beach so that the pressures of fame and fortune don’t get to be too much, as Perrie had said. Perrie is laying on her stomach tanning next to him and Harry appears to be sleeping on the other side.

“Time to flip!” Perrie announces as she rotates onto her back. She explains, “You have to flip every three minutes for optimal coverage. It’s a science.”

Liam rolls his eyes and Harry, who isn’t sleeping after all, says, “Biology is science.”

“Hey Harry,” Perrie says and Harry looks over at her. She kisses the palm of her hand and slaps her butt as if to say, “Kiss my ass.”

“Classy,” he responds before closing his eyes again.

“You know,” Perrie says sitting up and Harry turns his attention to her again, “I’ve been nothing but nice to you this entire trip—“ Harry scoffs at that. “—so you don’t have to be so mean to me for no reason at all.”

“No reason at all?” Harry sits up. “I have every reason to not like you.”

“It’s not my fault Zayn is straight and he chose me over you,” Perrie retorts. “You’re clearly just jealous of me.”

“Perrie,” Liam warns.

“Jealous!” Harry sneers. “Why would I be jealous of you? You’re a waitress whose only friend is an eighteen year old boy.”

“Hey!” Liam shouts but they don’t pay him any mind.

“Who the hell died and made you such a fucking prick?” Perrie snaps and then freezes when she realizes what she just said.

“Perrie!” Liam yells and Harry glares at her.

“Shit,” Perrie gasps, “shit, Harry, I’m sorry I—“

“Fuck this,” Harry mutters and grabs his bag.

“Harry,” Liam says, trying to console him, “she didn’t…”

Harry just shakes his head and leaves them alone. He walks halfway across the beach before collapsing on the sand in anger. He lies there for a little bit, just breathing hard and trying his best not to cry Perrie hit him right where it hurts the most with her words. Not only did she play the Zayn card but she also accused his mom’s death of making him so tense and uptight. And the worst part is, she’s right. If his mom hadn’t died then maybe he would be more carefree and optimistic. But she did and now he’s a total prick.

He stands back up and leaves the beach. He’s walking past a long line of scooters when he hears his name being called. He jumps in surprise and whirls around, looking for the source. He finally spots Niall standing by a scooter at the end of the line, waving at him excitedly. Harry smiles and ignores the pounding in his chest because all he’s wearing are soaking wet shorts and it’s obvious that he just came back from swimming and he just looks so fucking gorgeous.

“Hey Harry,” Niall says when Harry stops in front of him. Harry wonders how he knows his name and then remembers Liam shouting it on the Eiffel Tower for the whole world to hear. “You’re not following me are you?”

“Following?” Harry laughs. “No, no of course not.” He leans on the scooter, trying to look cool, but ultimately fails when that scooter tips over and it creates a domino effect, making all the other scooters in the line fall as well. Niall helps Harry up and he bites his lip. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

Niall laughs. “Are you alright?”

He’s not at all, but that’s not what Niall is asking about so he just says, “I’m fine.”

“Right,” Niall says, not quite believing him, “so where’s your bus?”

Harry is confused until he remembers what Niall is talking about. So much had happened since then that he had completely forgotten about the one event that had started it all. “It left us…a long time ago.”

Niall smiles and Harry’s heart flutters in his chest. “Fancy a ride?” he asks, gesturing to the scooter.

Harry nods and Niall gives him a helmet before helping him get on. Niall puts on his own helmet and sits in front of him. They stay like that for a few seconds before grabbing Harry’s arms and wrapping them around himself. Harry smiles and tightens his arms and presses himself closer to Niall’s back. He tells himself it’s because he’s afraid of falling off but he knows it’s not true.

They set off and Harry has no idea where the fuck they’re going but he doesn’t care. He’s never felt more free or alive in his entire life as the wind rushes at his face. He smiles and rests his head on Niall’s shoulder and wishes he could stay like this forever.

*

Liam is walking back to the hotel, alone, when Louis pulls up in a shiny blue Corvette. “Justin!” he calls.

Liam smiles and jogs up to him. “Louis, hey.”

Louis looks incredibly annoyed, as usual, and he opens the passenger door for Liam. “You’re late,” he says and Liam thinks that that’s his catch phrase.

“Late?” Liam says. “Late for what?”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “Are you okay? Your voice…”

Liam realizes with horror that he hasn’t been speaking in his American accent. He quickly covers his mistake up by hopping into the passenger seat and saying, “Hurry the fuck up, they’re not going to wait for us forever.”

Louis gives him one last questioning look before driving off. They drive for a long time before finally arriving at a mansion in the countryside. There are tents set up in the large front yard and people dressed in fancy clothes are wandering around.

“Another charity event?” Liam guesses.

“Is that a problem?” Louis asks.

“No, of course not!” Liam says hastily so Louis doesn’t think he’s a _total_ twat. “I was just wondering.”

“Oh,” Louis says as he stops the car in front of the house. “Yeah, you’re playing polo for hunger relief.”

“ _Polo_?” Liam says incredulously. “I can’t play polo!”

“Yes you can,” Louis says, confused. “Weren’t you on the polo team when you went to boarding school in England when you were thirteen?”

_Dammit Harry,_ Liam thinks, _why did you have to leave that part out?_ “Oh, right,” Liam laughs it off coolly. “It’s just been so long since I’ve played that it _feels_ like I don’t know how to play.”

“Er, okay,” Louis says and then ushers Liam into the mansion. Louis hands him over to a maid who shows Liam to his room while Louis goes to a separate room to change into their clothes.

Liam hastily searches polo on Google so he at least has an idea on how to play it before he’s thrown out there on the court? Field? Fuck, he can’t even remember what polo even is. He opens a page and then... _oh._

He has to ride a horse.

He falls on the floor and leans back until his head hits the ground. He is so screwed.

*

Of course Louis is on the opposing team. The two teams face each other and Liam is right in front of Louis. Luckily, he had no trouble getting on the horse, but controlling it would be a whole other story. The ref throws a ball in the middle and suddenly everyone is moving and Liam has no idea what to do. He’s supposed to somehow get the ball into the other team’s goal, but how? He should probably start on getting the horse to move.

He kicks the horse gently and it moves…slowly and in the direction he does not want to go in. He pulls the reins right and it goes the right way. He smiles to himself until he realizes that someone had pushed the ball the other way. He groans in frustration and works on turning the worse around again.

_Why can’t this sport just be played on the ground?_ Liam thinks. _Are the horses_ really _necessary?_

Louis eyes him curiously from across the field and Liam smiles at him. Louis wrinkles his brow before focusing on the game again. If anyone is going to see right through his act, it’ll definitely be Louis.

The ball comes toward him and Liam thinks that he’ll finally get a chance to try and prove that he can play this game right. But, of course, his horse goes the other way _again._ His horse keeps going until it’s completely off the field. Liam looks around confused and then Louis trots up to him.

“You okay?” Louis asks, and it sounds like he’s suppressing a laugh.

“Yeah,” Liam says, “it’s just…this horse is being a bit difficult.”

Now Louis does laugh. “Sure it is. Now c’mon, we can’t let them play the whole game without us.”

Liam smiles because even though Louis is laughing at him at least he’s not annoyed or curious about Liam’s identity. Liam catches sight of Simon as he follows Louis back onto the field and he gives a little wave. Simon waves back but he doesn’t look happy. Liam ignores it and concentrates on the game. He’s determined to at least look good if not win.

He manages to hit the ball a few times but he’s nothing compared to Louis. Louis is absolutely amazing at this stupid game, and Liam even tells him that when he passes him at one point. Louis smiles and Liam is pretty sure there’s a blush there as well but he’s gone before Liam can be sure.

The other team wins, unsurprisingly, and Liam looks for Louis after the game to congratulate him but he can’t find him. Someone asks to take care of his horse for him but he declines and says that he can do it himself. He starts to lead the horse to the stables when he hears a familiar voice behind him.

“Taking care of your own horse?” Simon says, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, that’s what losers get, right?” Liam jokes.

“Yes,” Simon says, drawing out the “s” as if he doesn’t quite believe Liam.

“Anyway,” Liam says, trying to get away as quickly as possible, “I better get going—“

Simon takes a step closer to Liam and says in a low voice, “This is a new low, even for Justin. Hiring a look alike just so that he can go out and party?”

“Seriously?” Liam laughs, trying to convince Simon of how ridiculous he’s being. “That’s what you think is going on here?”

“Tell me, _Justin_ , what was the name of that horse you had when you were younger?”

“Um, Blaze?”

“I will call security immediately to take you—“

“You can’t!” Liam exclaims, reverting back to his English accent. He can’t get in trouble for this, his mom will kill him. And if he gets in trouble, what will happen to Perrie and Harry? “Please, what about…what about the charity?”

“I’ll get Justin and—“

“He won’t go,” Liam says, and there may be some truth in that statement. He has to believe it himself otherwise it will be harder to convince Simon. He’s always been a terrible liar and he’s surprised that he’s actually made this far. “And even if he does agree he’ll just complain the whole time. Believe me, things will go much smoother if it’s me. I’ll do everything that’s expected of Justin tomorrow, but I’m not about to get in the way of helping those kids. And I promise, after the charity I’ll leave and you’ll never have to deal with me ever again.

Simon considers this for some time. Finally he says, “Fine, but no one must know, do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Liam nods.

“Just don’t fuck it up or you will get into some _serious_ trouble, got it?”

Liam nods again and Simon walks away. He sighs and makes his way to the stable. Simon is possibly the most terrifying person he’s ever met, but luckily he only has one more day of this before he’s make to his old, _normal_ life again. Now he completely understands why Justin is such a prick.

He gets to the stable and begins to groom his horse. He’s never been a big fan of horses, but he kind of likes this one. Although they had a kind of rough start, he has started to grow a little fond of it. He starts to brush it and the worse neighs in appreciation.

“My mate Zayn is afraid of horses,” Liam tells it as he brushes, “but I don’t see why. You’re nothing but a big sweetheart, aren’t you girl? Or boy.” He leans over to see if he can tell what the gender is but then he hears snickering. He flushes and straightens to see who it is and _of course_ it’s Louis.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Louis says. “I was wondering if you needed any help.”

“Thanks, but I’m just finishing up.” Or at least he thinks so; he knows nothing about grooming horses. Or horses in general.

“How about figuring out the gender of it?” Louis smirks.

Liam ducks his head so he can’t see his cheeks growing redder.

“It’s a girl by the way,” Louis tells him.

“Thanks,” Liam says.

Louis makes his way over to Liam and starts to pet the horse. “You’re nothing like I expected you to be,” he says quietly.

“What do you mean?” Liam knows what he means because he’s nothing like Justin, but he wants to know exactly what Louis thinks of him.

“You’re so kind and sweet and just an incredibly lovely person,” Louis says, and he’s _definitely_ blushing. “And, no offense, but I had always thought you were kind of a twat.”

Liam laughs because who Louis thinks he is _is_ a twat. “Um, thanks, I guess.”

“I said ‘no offense’!” Louis joins in with Liam’s laughter.

Liam finishes brushing the horse looks around not knowing what to do.

“Here, I’ll take that for you,” Louis offers and Liam smiles at him gratefully.

When Louis is done putting the horse away he grins at Liam and says, “So, you wanna get out of here or what?”

*

Harry and Niall go swimming after visiting a market and gathering some food for a picnic on the secluded beach. Harry feels so calm and relaxed just being with Niall and not having to worry about anything for once.

“How are you?” Niall asks.

“Perfect,” Harry sighs and Niall laughs.

“I have that effect on people,” he jokes.

“Do you feel like this all the time?” Harry asks.

“Like what?”

“So…carefree and relaxed,” Harry says.

Niall laughs again. “Yeah, I mean I just do whatever the hell I want and the only thing I ever worry about is if I’m living life to the fullest, you know? ‘Carpe Diem’. Seize the day.”

Now it’s Harry’s turn to laugh. “I love that.” He lies on his back and stares at the sky. “I wish I could live like that.”

“Why can’t you?”

Harry sighs and closes his eyes. “Too many responsibilities and things to worry about. Like getting a job and providing for myself and…my dad.”

“You don’t have to worry about those things,” Niall says.

“I wish that were true,” Harry says. “But ever since…” Harry hesitates. Does he really want to talk about his mom’s death to a guy he barely knows?

“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me Harry,” Niall says with genuine care in his voice.

Suddenly, Harry does want to tell Niall everything. He seems like the type of person who would understand and be sympathetic. Not to mention the fact that he’s been nothing but nice to Harry this entire time and treating Harry like he’s the most amazing person in the world.

“My mum died two years ago,” he starts. “She was my best friend and I felt like she was the only person who really understood me. So when she died I was devastated, but I was expected to continue living my life, like her death didn’t even mean anything. I wasn’t given any time to grieve and I had to pretend like everything was fine, but it wasn’t it. It fucking hurt and it hurt even worse when my dad married someone else just a year after it happened. He never asked me how that would make me feel, and still, no one ever asks me how I feel, and I just…sometimes I want to fucking scream.”

Niall pulls him into his chest and it’s not until he’s burying his face in Niall’s shoulder that he realizes he’s crying. Niall wraps his arms around Harry tightly and rests his chin and Harry’s head.

“Do it then,” Niall says. “Right now, just scream.”

Harry shakes his head. “I can’t,” he says, choking on his sobs.

Niall kisses the top of his head. “I’ll do it with you if you want.”

Harry laughs and sits up. He looks at Niall and wonders how someone so genuinely caring and sweet can possible exist. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Okay,” Niall says, and rests his forehead against Harry’s. “But I do have to do this.”

Before Harry can ask what it is he has to do Niall presses his lips to Harry’s. Harry is only surprised for a second before he relaxes into it and kisses Niall back. It’s gentle and slow and everything Harry needs at the moment.

Niall pulls back too soon but his face stays close. Harry grins and says, “I think that was even better than screaming.”

Niall laughs and pulls him in again.

*

When Perrie had seen the enormous bouquet sitting on the table in the suite she squealed in excitement. She assumed the flowers for her because why in the world would Liam or Harry get flowers? She read the card, wondering who they could be from, and grinned at Ed’s name signed on the bottom.

Now, she is getting ready to go out with Ed, to some fancy dinner with some rich person that she could care less about. This would show Zayn that she didn’t need him.

She shimmies into a yellow party dress and stares at herself in the mirror. The box holding the watch the Liam wore to the party the night before catches her eye. She takes it out and admires the shining silver and the beautiful designs on the band. She does have a purse to keep her phone, but she doesn’t want to have to constantly take it out to check the time. Having a watch will be much easier.

Once she’s done getting ready she goes down to the lobby and finds Ed waiting for her in a sleek silver car. A man opens the door for her and Ed smiles at her.

“You look lovely,” he says as she sits down.

“Thank you,” she says, but it doesn’t have quite the same effect on her as when Zayn tells her she looks beautiful. She shakes her head; tonight she’s supposed to forget about Zayn and think about how nice Ed is instead.

They’re stopped at a light and Perrie looks over to see two boys sitting on a scooter. The one in back has his arms wrapped tightly around the other one’s body and he’s resting his head on his shoulder with a content look on his face. Peeking out of his helmet is a set of familiar looking curls and it almost looks like…

“Harry?!” Perrie shouts incredulously.

Harry sits up and stares at her, surprised by this chance meeting. Then he laughs and Perrie is begging Ed to pull over so that she can talk to him because he looks so much different from earlier today when he was pissed at her. Ed obliges and the boy on the scooter pulls over as well. Perrie jumps out and runs over to Harry.

“Oh my god, what the hell happened to you?” she exclaims.

Harry laughs and he can’t stop smiling. “Niall is the most amazing person I’ve ever met! We’re going to go meet his friends and go dancing and…”

He starts to ramble and now Perrie can’t stop smiling. This is a side of Harry that she has never seen before and she loves it. “I’m so happy for you, Harry.”

“Thanks,” he says, and they’re silent for a moment before Harry adds, “I’m sorry.”

Perrie shakes her head. “You have nothing to be sorry about; I was kind of a bitch.”

“ _Kind of_?” Harry says and then laughs again. Perrie joins in this time and doesn’t even care that she’s wasting precious time with Ed. Harry calms down and then notices Perrie’s wrist. “Is that…”

Perrie sighs and takes it off. “There’s the Harry that I know.” She hands it to Harry and they start to walk back to their dates.

“What were you thinking?” he says.

Perrie just smiles and says, “Stay classy, Haz.”

About ten minutes later they arrive at the dock and there’s a yacht waiting there. Perrie suppresses the urge to squeal as Ed opens the door for her and ushers her on board. However, the dinner is nothing like Perrie expected. Everyone there seems to be friends with each other and they’re all talking in French. Even Ed is ignoring her and Perrie finds herself missing Zayn more than ever.

Near the end of the meal, the waitresses are clearing their dishes and Ed’s elbow knocks into one of them as he’s picking up his glass to take a drink. But instead of saying “sorry” or “excuse me” he just glares at her and continues his conversation with someone across the table.

Perrie takes pity on the waitress since she’s a waitress herself and she knows what it’s like to have to deal with customers that act like complete dicks. So when the waitress comes to her she hands her the plate and the waitress smiles back at her gratefully. Then she takes the plate from the man sitting next to her and stands up.

“You know there are people for that,” Ed whispers disapprovingly.

“I know,” Perrie says, “I’m one of them.”

Then she finishes clearing the rest of the table and goes to sit on the back of the boat, wishing Zayn was here with her.

*

Louis reaches out his hand and helps Liam climb on top of the wall. When Liam gets up there he gasps, because if he thought the view from Sacré Cœur was breathtaking then he has absolutely no words to describe this view. The lights of the city shine brighter than the stars and the water reflects the lights so that it seems to sparkle.

Liam stands there in awe for a while until Louis pulls on his hand and urges him to sit down. Liam sits cross-legged while Louis’ legs hang over the edge of the wall.

“Don’t fall,” Liam warns.

Louis flips him off. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

“I wasn’t telling you what to do; I just want you to be careful.”

Louis laughs. “I know, I’m just fucking with you Justin.”

Liam winces at the name. He desperately wants to tell Louis the truth; he deserves to know. But what would happen if he did tell Louis that he’s not who he says he is? Would he get pissed and never speak to him again? Or would he be understanding and try to help him get through the next day? He decides not to risk it and just try to get through the rest of this trip without fucking anything up so that he never has to see these people again.

The only problem is, he thinks he fancies Louis.

“This is amazing,” Liam says, “thank you Louis.”

“Just wait,” Louis says, smiling, “it gets better.”

Liam is about to ask how it could possibly get better when he hears a loud _boom_ from overhead. He covers his ears and jerks his head up to the sky and sees purple and blue sparks exploding all over the sky. Louis laughs at Liam’s surprise and scoots closer.

“You could’ve warned me!” Liam says, but he’s laughing too.

“Those weren’t the fireworks I was talking about,” Louis says before leaning in and kissing Liam. Liam gasps in surprise but then he leans into Louis, pressing harder. He grasps the back of Louis’ neck and tries to pull him in as close as possible. He opens his mouth to let Louis’ tongue in and moans when he feels it brush against his own.

Louis stops kissing him suddenly but doesn’t pull away. “I wasn’t expecting you to kiss back, to be honest.”

Liam smiles. “I wasn’t expecting you to kiss me at all, to be honest. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but some people think I’m kind of a twat.”

Louis chuckles and kisses him again. Liam grabs his hips and pulls Louis onto his lap. He needs this to last for as long as possible because he’s going to leave tomorrow and when he does he’s most likely never going to see Louis again.

Louis runs his hand through Liam’s short hair as Liam slips a hand underneath Louis’ shirt. Louis laughs against his lips. “Someone’s eager,” he says.

Liam nods and moves to Louis’ jaw and then his neck. Louis groans and gasps, “Justin.”

That’s when Liam stops. He pulls back as far as possible because Louis is still on his lap and just stares at Louis.

“What?” Louis says, his voice laced with confusion mixed with hurt.

“I can’t do this,” Liam says and suddenly he’s finding it much harder to breathe up here. He pushes Louis off of him and stands up to see if that will make it easier to breathe.

“We don’t have to do it right now if you don’t want to,” Louis tells him, standing up as well.

“No,” Liam says frustrated because Louis just isn’t _getting it_. “I can’t do _this_.”

“I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about, Justin—“

“Don’t call me that!” Liam screams.

“Why not?”

But Louis doesn’t get an explanation because before Liam can say anything else, he leans over the side of the wall and throws up.

*

Harry doesn’t get back to the hotel until the next morning. Last night was the best night of Harry’s entire life, and he’s pretty sure that it can’t be beat. He and Niall spent most of the night dancing at the club and then running through the streets of Monte Carlo. Finally, they went back to the beach to rest, but ended up not resting at all.

Harry gives Niall a lingering kiss because Niall’s leaving today for Italy and he doesn’t know how long it will be until he sees him again. He can’t stop smiling as he heads up to the room, hasn’t been able to since Niall first kissed him, but it fades when he sees Liam running around the suite frantically.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

“Oh thank god you’re here,” Liam exclaims and runs over to him. “We can’t find the watch and Perrie says that you have it.”

“Yeah, it’s…” He reaches into his bag to pull out the watch until he realizes that that’s not where he put it. “…with Niall.”

Liam rubs a hand over his face while Perrie falls back onto the couch and breathes, “Fuck.”

“I’m so sorry, guys,” Harry says. “Look, he’s leaving soon but if we go now then we might be able to make it to the train station in time before he does. Maybe, he hasn’t even left the hotel yet!” He runs out to the balcony to see if Niall’s still there, but of course, his scooter is nowhere to be seen.

“C’mon,” Liam says, joining him, “we should go now, before he and the watch are gone forever.”

“Wait,” Harry says, looking down, “is that...?”

Liam looks down. A black car pulls up and someone who looks exactly like him steps out as a horde of paparazzi surrounds him and starts to take pictures. “Shit. What’s he doing here?”

“Exactly what he’s supposed to be doing,” Perrie replies.

“We can’t let him see us,” Liam says. “So we can’t stay here and we can’t exit through the lobby.”

“Well then what do you suppose we do?” Harry says.

Liam bites his lip. “We have to climb.”

Perrie stares at him in shock. “Did I ever mention that I’m afraid of heights?”

*

Justin marches through the door of the Hotel de Paris and to the counter.

“Ah, Monsieur Burberry,” the manager says, “what can I do for you?”

“Get me the room key,” Justin says. When the manager just stares blankly at him he adds, “ _Now_.”

The manager ducks under the desk and starts to frantically search for the key while Justin groans and taps his foot impatiently. When he finally finds it he hands it to Justin who grabs it and heads to the elevator. As he’s walking he hears someone calling his name.

“Justin!” It’s a boy with light, brown hair that’s styled into a quiff. Justin wants to barf; he _hates_ guys with quiffs. The boy catches up to him and says, “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” Justin says, because seriously, who is this guy and why does he care about how he’s feeling.

“You’re not sick then?”

 “No, why the fuck would I be sick?”

The boy smiles. “Good,” he says and then he leans in and kisses Justin on the lips. Justin is so stunned that he can’t do anything but stand there until he pulls away. When he does, Justin punches him in the mouth.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he shouts and stomps into the elevator. He catches a glimpse of the boy holding his hand over his mouth in pain and he smirks.

He’s disappointed when he gets to the room; he thought that it would be much bigger. He looks around, making sure his luggage got up here safely and checks to see if his watch that his mom is making him auction off is there. But when he opens the case, it’s gone.

He immediately calls the manager to call the police to report a robbery but these stupid French can’t ever understand a word he’s saying. He does it himself and they say they’ll be there soon but he wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t show up for another hour.

He just wants to get this stupid charity auction over with so he can go back to America as soon as possible.

*

They manage to escape the hotel safely without anyone noticing and make it to the station right as the train for Italy is leaving.

“Perfect timing,” Perrie mutters.

Liam falls to a bench and lets out a frustrated sigh. “This is all my fault.”

Harry sits next to him and puts an arm around him. “No, it’s mine. _I’m_ the one who lost the watch.

“No, it’s mine,” Perrie says, sitting on the other side of Liam, “if I hadn’t worn the watch to my shitty date then this wouldn’t have happened.”

“ _None_ of this would have happened if I hadn’t lied,” Liam says.

“But we’re the ones who made you lie,” Perrie says. “And I was the one who told you to continue lying even when it went too far.”

“How about we just stop playing the blame game and say it’s all our faults,” Harry says.

Liam smiles. “Thanks guys, for everything. Even though we got ourselves into a mess that we’ll probably never get out of, I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Aww!” Perrie shouts and throws her arms around Liam and Harry and pulls them into a group hug.

“Just because I’ve forgiven you doesn’t mean I’m enjoying this,” Harry grumbles.

Perrie just laughs and messes up his hair. “So what happens now?”

“Now, we’re going to go back to the hotel and try to fix it,” Liam says.

Perrie and Harry gape at him. “We’re going to go back?” Perrie says. “Do you have a death wish or something?”

“We have to _try_ ,” Liam says.

Harry sighs. “We might as well. And hey, maybe he’ll understand.”

“I’ve seen sharks with a better personality than that guy,” Perrie mutters as they get up and head to the hotel.

*

As they walk through the lobby they’re stopped by the manager of the hotel who says, “Monsieur Burberry, do not worry the police are on their way.”

Liam freezes. “Police?”

“Yes, didn’t you report a robbery?”

The three of them shake their heads and assure him that everything is fine and that it was a total mistake. They hurry to the elevator so that he doesn’t ask them anymore questions but then they’re stopped again by a familiar voice.

“Justin,” Louis says, “didn’t I just see you—“

“No!” Liam says immediately and rushes toward him. Louis’ bottom lip is split but Liam can’t really bother to worry about that at the moment. “Don’t worry, I’ll be ready for the auction soon. Everything will be just fine.” He leans in and presses his lips to Louis’. He would have stayed like that longer but Harry is grabbing his hand and pulling him to the elevator. “I’ll see you soon, Louis!” Liam calls and ignores the perplexed look on Louis’ face as the elevator doors close.

When they open again they see Niall standing at the door of their room, ready to knock.

“Niall?” Harry says excitedly and Niall turns. Liam and Perrie jump out of the elevator and rush at Niall, yelling, “Do not knock on that door!”

They push Niall toward Harry who pulls him into a hug. “You came back!”

“Yeah,” Niall says laughing. “You forgot your watch.” He holds the watch out to Harry and his heart feels about to burst from happiness. “And I thought this would be a good excuse for why I stayed.”

Harry takes the watch from him and throws his arms around him. “You don’t need an excuse,” he murmurs into his neck. He kisses him while leading him to the elevator and when the doors open he pushes him in. “Don’t leave,” Harry tells him.

Niall laughs. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Harry grins and then runs back to where Liam and Perrie are waiting. Harry hands Liam the watch and they take a deep breath before knocking on the door. It opens and Justin stares at them, first in annoyance, then in shock.

“We can explain,” Liam starts. Justin glares at them but opens the door wider to let them in.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Justin demands after slamming the door shut.

“Look, everything’s fine,” Liam tries. “See, we have the watch and—“

“Exactly, _you_ have it,” Justin spits. He heads for the phone.

“Justin,” Harry says, trying to stop him from calling the police and reporting them, “it’s just a simple case of mistaken identity. It’s completely innocent.”

Justin stares at him. “It’s impersonation, and it’s a crime.” He reaches for the phone but Harry puts his hand on Justin’s.

“I really don’t think you want to that,” Harry warns.

“Oh yeah?” Justin challenges. “And what if I do?”

Harry grabs him by the collar and together he and Liam drag him to the bedroom. Perrie trails behind them asking what she can do to help.

They shove him into a chair and Liam says, “Get something to tie him up with.”

“What?” Justin screams and tries to get out of the chair, but Liam and Harry hold him down and cover his mouth so no one hears him.

“How’s the phone cord?” Perrie asks from the other room.

“Should be fine,” Harry shouts back.

As they’re tying Justin up they hear a knock at the door and freeze.

“Monsieur Burberry?” a voice calls through the door. “Are you alright?”

“Just a minute!” Liam yells back. He whispers to Perrie and Harry, “Perrie, you finish tying him up, and Harry you go answer the door and assure them that we’re fine. I’m going to go get ready for the auction.

Liam runs to the bathroom and Harry turns to Perrie. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, Harry,” she says smiling, “I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.”

Harry chuckles and then hurries to the door, shutting the door of the bedroom on the way. He opens the front door and stares at Louis, the manager, and about a dozen policemen.

“Er, can I help you?” he says innocently.

“Is everything alright?” one of the policemen asks. “You reported a robbery?”

“Oh, right!” Harry laughs and lets them in. “Yeah, that was all a big misunderstanding. You see, Justin couldn’t find his watch and he freaked out. But then he found it, so everything’s fine now.”

“But we heard a scream,” the manager says.

“Oh.” Harry thinks of an explanation for this. “Well, when Justin found the watch…right now, he was so, so happy, that he screamed.”

“Where is he now?” Louis asks.

“I’m right here!” Liam says, coming out of the bathroom. “Sorry, I was just getting ready.”

The manager smiles. “Wonderful, why don’t we go down there now.”

“Yes!” Liam says, a little too eagerly. “I’m afraid we’re already late. Coming Harry?” he calls as he’s ushered out.

“I’ll be out in a second, I just have to, er, check my phone.” Harry ducks into the bedroom and sees Perrie lounging on the bed with a magazine and Justin tied up in the chair with an apple in his mouth so he can’t make any noise.

“The apple’s a nice touch,” Harry comments.

“Thanks,” Perrie says.

“You’ll be okay?”

“Yes, now you two go out and enjoy your auction. I’ll be fine watching Justin.”

“Thanks Perrie.” Harry smiles gratefully at her and rushes to catch up with the others. Because there’s so many of them, they’re completely squashed in the elevator, Harry right up against the manager and Liam in the back right next to Louis.

“Whatever happens,” Liam whispers to Louis, “just remember that I’m still me, no matter what. Okay?” He knows that the time to come clean is coming soon and he has to do it before Justin exposes him himself. And he’s afraid of what Louis will think when he finds out the truth.

Louis nods, confused out of his mind, but he agrees anyway.

They reach the lobby and head to the ballroom, where the auction is being held.

“Liam?”

Liam turns and sees Zayn standing there with a duffel bag, looking even more nonplussed than Louis. He can’t stop though because he’s being shepherded to the room quickly, but Harry stops.

“Harry, what the hell is going on here?” Zayn asks.

“Zayn, what the hell are _doing_ here?” Harry asks.

“I’m looking for Perrie,” he explains. “Where is she?”

“She’s upstairs,” Harry says without thinking. He completely forgot that Perrie is currently holding a teen popstar captive.

Zayn starts to head to the elevator but Harry calls out, “You probably don’t want to go up there though!”

“Why not?” Zayn says.

Harry doesn’t have time to explain that they’re criminals so he just says, “Trust me, you don’t.” That’s when he sees that Niall is waiting in the lobby too and he sighs because he really doesn’t have time for any of this. “You two, just wait here.”

He rushes after Liam and the others. Zayn stares at him, upset because he’s pretty sure that Perrie is cheating on him with some handsome French gentleman.

“Hey mate,” the blonde guy says, “she’s in the Grimaldi Suite, third floor.”

Zayn smiles. “Thanks, mate.”

*

“You know Justin,” Perrie says, “it’s been really nice getting to know you better.” It’s a joke because Justin hasn’t said a word to her this entire time.

Justin glares at her.

“But, there’s one thing I don’t get. Why are you such an arsehole all the time?”

That’s when Justin loses it. “Fuck you! And you’re not going to get away with this.”

Perrie smiles and shakes her head. “Oh, Justin, we already have.”

There’s a knock on the door and Justin opens his mouth to call for help but Perrie sticks the apple back in it before he can make a sound.

“No one likes a diva,” she tells him with a pat on his head before getting the door. She opens it, expecting to see more policemen or hotel employees, but that’s not who’s there at all. “ _Zayn_?”

“Perrie,” he says. “What are you doing here?”

“Me? What are _you_ doing here?”

“I’ve been looking all over Paris for you only to discover that you’re in _Monte Carlo_ , of all places, and…” He trails off as Perrie steps outside and just stares at him, smiling.

“I can’t believe you came to Paris for me,” she says.

“I would do anything for you, Pez,” Zayn says. “I love you.”

She throws her arms around him and holds him tight because he has no idea how much she has missed him. “I love you, too.”

She pulls away slightly and kisses him, long and hard, to make up for the lost time. “This trip just keeps getting better and better,” she murmurs against his lips, even though this is the only good thing to happen to her in a few hours.

Suddenly, they hear a loud thump from inside the room.

“What was that?” Zayn says and reaches for the door handle.

“Nothing!” Perrie says, taking his hand away. “So, let me tell you about our great tour of Paris…”

There’s another loud noise and Zayn ignores her. “There’s definitely something in there. What’s going on?”

Before she can make up an excuse a door opens from behind them and Perrie curses herself for not tying Justin up tighter and forgetting there was a bedroom door.

“Is that Liam?” Zayn says, but Perrie is too busy chasing after Justin, Zayn hot on her heels.

Justin gets to the elevator before them, though, and the doors close just as Perrie and Zayn reach them.

“Shit,” Perrie says.

“What’s going on, Perrie?” Zayn asks.

“We,” Perrie says, “have an auction to crash.”

*

They open the doors to the auction room and Liam’s breath catches in his throat. He’s so nervous because he has no idea what he’s supposed to do, but everyone is expecting him to. Harry senses Liam’s sudden uneasiness and is at his side in an instant.

“Everything will be fine, Li,” Harry says, squeezing his hand. “I promise.”

“Just don’t leave okay?” Liam whispers as Harry escorts him into the ballroom.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

A man invites Liam up to the small stage and announces that the bid for the watch will start at one million euros. Hands raise quickly and the bid goes up by one hundred thousands. Liam is happy for the kids they’re raising the money for, but then he glances at Louis’ face and he’s consumed by guilt. He has to stop this, now.

“Stop!” he shouts and everyone stares at him with puzzled expressions.

“Is everything alright?” the auctioneer asks.

“No, I…” Liam trails off, not knowing how to start. He decides that he should just get to the point quickly. “This watch isn’t mine.”

Everyone gasps, but Louis’ look is the worst of all. His expression is a mixture of confusion, hurt, and anger and Liam wishes that he wasn’t the reason for any of it.

“No,” a voice from the back yells, “it’s _mine._ He’s an imposter, arrest him!”

The crowd parts to reveal Justin, looking like complete shit. His hair is messed up, his t-shirt is wrinkled, and overall he just looks like he had been through a recent struggle. Which is true, Liam thinks guiltily.

“He’s right,” Liam says, ashamed. “I’m not who I said I was, I’m just a regular kid from Wolverhampton. I know what I did was wrong and I’m _so_ sorry.” The last part is directed at Louis, but he’s not taking any of it. Now, the confusion is gone from his face and it’s just hurt and anger. He pushes past a few people and starts to head out.

“But it wasn’t all a lie!” Liam calls out to him before he can leave.

Louis whirls around and glares at him. “I thought you were different,” he spits before spinning on his heel and leaving the room.

Liam feels like he’s on the verge of tears now but Perrie and Harry have now joined him on stage and Harry is holding Liam’s hand, encouraging him to go on. “I’m so sorry everyone, but I care about these kids and so do you, so _please_ , don’t let my mistake get in the way of their future.”

“Three million!” Zayn shouts from the back.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Justin says. “He doesn’t have any money, none of them do! Arrest them _now_!”

“Six million euros!” a voice shouts and the crowd parts once again so that Simon can walk toward the stage. “Six million euros for the watch,” he points at Liam, “on _that_ young man’s wrist. Whomever he may be.”

“Sold!” the auctioneer yells. “To Mr. Simon Cowell for six million euros!”

Everyone applauds but Justin gapes at him. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he asks Simon.

“I’m doing precisely as he’s asked,” Simon says. “I’m helping.”

Liam steps off the stage and meets Simon halfway and gives him the watch. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Simon says.

Meanwhile, Justin is yelling at one of the policemen indignantly. “Why the fuck are you just standing there? Arrest them!”

“For what?” the policeman says. “For helping out a good cause?”

“They stole my watch!”

“But the watch is here, no.”

“Well they…they kidnapped me and tied me up!”

“And yet, you too are here. I see no problem here, everyone seems very happy.”

“Do I look very fucking happy to you?”

The policeman shrugs. “Unfortunately, I can’t do anything about that.” He walks away and Justin gapes. He can’t believe that just happened. He has always gotten his way, and no one has ever dared to say something like that to him. He blames it all on Liam.

*

Harry decides to go off and travel the world with Niall, despite his dad’s protests over the phone. He gives Liam a long hug on the steps of the Hotel de Paris before they go their separate ways.

“I wish you all the luck in the world,” Liam says.

“You too,” Harry says and he finally feels like a brother to Liam. “I can’t wait to see you again.”

They pull apart. “When do you think that will be?” Liam asks.

Harry shrugs. “Who knows?” And he doesn’t think he loves anything more than the feeling of not knowing his plans for the future. He smiles at Niall and gives Liam one last hug before jumping on his scooter with him.

Mr. Tomlinson waits on the steps to say goodbye to Liam. “Even though you did lie, I did enjoy your company very much. So did Louis.”

Liam gives him a sad smile. “Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Tomlinson. Will you tell Louis that I said goodbye?”

“Of course,” he says.

Liam is about to leave it at that but then he thinks of something else that he wants Louis to know. “And tell him he’s right; I am different.”

Mr. Tomlinson puts his hands on Liam’s shoulders and assures him, “He knows that. But I will still tell him.”

Liam smiles in gratitude and bids him goodbye. He gets in the car that Mr. Tomlinson has gotten for them with Perrie and Zayn. On the way to the airport, he gets a call from his mom and he’s never been so happy to hear her voice.

“How was it?” she asks him.

Liam feels like he’s about to cry but he lies and tells her, “We had an amazing time. But I’m happy to come home.”

*

**Epilogue- Two Years Later**

Harry has been to all seven continents with Niall already, but the countries there are all so different that he’s constantly learning new things. He’s been to more places than he can count, and he loves them all, but his absolute favorite place is Machu Picchu, where he climbed to the top of a wall and screamed with Niall until he thought he was going to explode.

*

Zayn and Perrie settle in Wolverhampton. Zayn finally got up the nerve to propose properly but only because Perrie refused to say yes until Zayn got down on one knee and presented her with a ring. However, Zayn couldn’t afford a real engagement ring so he got her a ring pop which she said was even more special. They got married not long after.

Perrie makes dinner for Zayn before he comes home from work and hopes he would just hurry up because she might burst from excitement before she gets the chance to tell him that she’s pregnant.

*

Liam volunteers at one of the schools built by Louis’ family in Romania. After a year of university and trying to decide what he wanted to do with his life he decided that all he really wanted to was help people.

One of the other volunteers asks him if he can go to the post office and pick up a package for her. He does so because he’s not doing anything anyway and it’s such a nice day today and he’s dying to get outside.

As he’s running down the stairs to borrow a bike to get to the post office he just misses Louis entering the building. He decided that after being told what to do his entire life he wants to do something for himself, and he thought that working on the construction of one of the Romanian schools is just the place to start.

The architect is showing him the designs for the building when he glances outside and notices a familiar figure riding past on a bike.

“Excuse me,” he says to the woman and he leans out the window and shouts, “Liam!”

But the construction going on outside is so loud that Liam can’t hear him. So Louis runs out of the room and speeds down the stairs. It’s been two years since he’s seen him and although he was mad at him at the time for lying to him, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him.

He sprints down the street, trying to keep up with the boy on the bike. He gives up and screams at the top of his lungs, “Liam, stop!”

Liam freezes at the familiar voice and whips his head around. He can’t believe that Louis is here and that he’s smiling at Liam like he’s the most amazing thing in the world.

Liam hops off his bike and walks it over to Louis, who meets him halfway.

“Louis,” he says, and for lack of anything better to say he adds, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m working,” Louis replies. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m volunteering,” Liam tells him.

They stare at each other for a long time, both rendered speechless. Neither of them can quite believe that this is happening right now because they didn’t think they’d ever see each other again.

Finally, Liam smiles wide and says, “I don’t think we’ve properly met.” He holds out his hand. “Hi, I’m Liam Payne.”

Louis grins and shakes it. “Louis Tomlinson. It’s nice to meet you, Liam Payne.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Louis Tomlinson.”


End file.
